Jack searched Ally's pretty face.
“What?” she asked.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“That was pretty tense.” He shrugged. “It can’t be easy seeing the guy who cheated on you.”
She waved a hand. “Whatever. I’m not buying his explanation about why he didn’t tell me he’d heard from you, but hey...water under the bridge, right?”
“Right.” He studied her. She really seemed okay. She was tougher than the Ally he’d known five years ago. And it looked good on her. Thank God she wasn’t still carrying around feelings for Carter, because he sure as hell didn’t deserve her.
They stepped back into the living room and sat side-by-side on the couch.
“That was freaky,” Ally said.
He laughed. “Freaky?”
A smile tugged the corners of her mouth but her eyes held sadness. “Yeah. Freaky. What happened to us, Jack?”
He stared at her. “Uh...”
“We were such good friends. The three of us. When Carter moved to Garden City and started hanging around with us...we were the Awesome Threesome.”
“Yeah.” They’d had a lot of fun. Good times. Tough times. Ally and Carter had helped him through the whole nightmare of Brittany’s pregnancy. He didn’t know what he would have done without them. “I know.” He sighed. “I guess things change.”
“Yeah.”
Their eyes met. The room heated and faded away.

* * *

Ally didn’t know if she moved toward Jack or if he grabbed her, but his hands were on her shoulders, her breasts pressed against his chest and his mouth was on hers, hot, hard and fiercely demanding. The slow yearning inside her exploded into feverish lust, and she burned, hot, blind with need. She clutched his shoulders, feeling the big hard bones beneath his shirt, the almost-scorching heat coming off him.
Lost in it, swept up in his arms, her own arms slid around his neck. Her breasts ached to be touched and she pressed against him, unable to get close enough.
Jack’s mouth opened wider on hers, and she matched his movement. His tongue filled her mouth, and more liquid heat ran through her, pooling low in her tummy, between her legs. A sharp, exquisite heat throbbed there. A small moan leaked from her mouth into his.
His hand moved up to her head, dug into her hair, turned her head for a better angle, and the kiss grew deeper, hotter. The hardness of his body pressed against hers, including that bulge in his jeans she’d tried not to notice before. She pressed herself there, desperately seeking something, loving the feel of his arousal.
Then the kiss ended and Jack set her away from him. Coolness washed over her with the warmth of his body removed. His stormy eyes gazed at her, and he slowly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “God, I am so sorry,” he muttered.
She didn't know what to say. She stared back at him, blinking rapidly.
“That shouldn’t have happened.” He shifted away.
They were supposed to be just friends. But...if they both felt the same way...what did it matter?
She still couldn’t speak. She touched her fingers to her swollen lips.
“Just tell me to leave and I’ll go,” he offered, his voice gritty.
“I don’t want you to leave.”
He closed his eyes briefly, adjusted the hard-on in his jeans with a quick movement that made her weak again.
“Jack...”
He held up a hand. “Look, I apologize. I don’t know what the hell got into me. You’re still my friend Ally, even after all these years, and I should not have done that.”
“But you said...things change.”
He tipped his head back. “Yeah. But some things don’t. Christ. You don’t hit on your friend’s ex.”
For a moment she couldn’t make sense of what he said. Than she realized. She was Carter’s ex.
But it wasn’t like that.
Carter had cheated on her. It wasn’t like he was all devastated and heartbroken. Ha. They were talking about Carter here.
“Jack,” she whispered. Then she was afraid to go on. What was happening? She was having these intense, agonizing feelings for him and it seemed like something was going on with him, too, but what if...what if she was wrong? What if she was about to humiliate herself by trying to take their friendship somewhere he didn’t want to go? “I’m going to...um...go...” Where? How could she escape this freaking nightmare? “Um...have a bath,” she decided. She leaped to her feat. “Ah...help yourself to another beer if you want.” And she fled.
Jesus. As floral-scented steam filled the small room and she immersed her body in scalding water, she realized even when she’d been with Carter, she’d never been aroused to such a peak of raw sexual excitement. She burned for Jack, still pulsed and throbbed, especially her breasts and between her legs. She covered one breast with her hand, pressing hard, almost painfully, her nipple tight and sensitive. Her other hand slid between her legs under the water, and she touched the heat and wetness there. Oh God.
Frustrated. Confused. Embarrassed. She let out a little moan that turned into a sob and squeezed her eyes shut. The humiliation was almost as bad as the unsatisfied ache inside her.

Extreme Close Up Chapter 18

This week I read Maison Domine by Skylar Kade, a naughty little BDSM story with lots of emotion and heat.

I also read Simply Wicked by Kate Pearce. These "Simply" stories keep me coming back for more! The characters in this story fascinated me, Anthony seems to have hit rock bottom in his dark sexual exploits and wants to change, but it's so difficult for him. I loved how he fought for that. Marguerite fascinated me too and the hints throughout the book about her relationship with her deceased husband intrigued and kept me reading, though I may have wanted to know more sooner, to know that she was an equal match for Anthony. And I can't wait to see how Kate pulls off the next "Simply" story!

I'm now reading Songbird by Maya Banks. I do love Maya Banks's story but this one unfortunately feels a little like "deja vu" (deja lu peut-etre?)because it's so similar to other stories.

Jack followed behind Ally, admiring the curve of her butt in her jeans despite his muddled thoughts. His gut churned for a myriad of reasons. He was curious about seeing Ally and Carter together, curious and afraid, worried he would see something between them that he’d rather not see. He was also damn interested in what Carter had to say about the e-mails they’d exchanged over the last five years and his failure to tell Ally. And how would Carter feel, ringing the door of the home he had once shared with Ally?
“Ally,” Carter said, stepping into the hall, his voice surprisingly warm but cautious. “I haven’t seen you for so long. You look beautiful as ever.”
“Thanks.” Her voice as frosty as the beer she’d been drinking. “How are you?”
“Great.” Carter’s gaze moved around Ally to Jack. “Jack! Buddy! I can’t believe you’re here!”
He moved to him with open arms, and they exchanged a male hug, Carter slapping Jack’s shoulder.
“Man, you look good, too,” Carter said, studying Jack.
Jack smiled tightly. “Thanks. You too, bud.” Carter hadn’t really changed much at all, other than the expensive haircut, Patek Phillippe watch and quality clothing. He was dressed casually in chinos and a golf shirt but Jack could tell they’d cost a bundle.
“You’ve bulked up, buddy,” Carter commented, eyeing Jack’s shoulders and chest. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
“Come in, both of you,” Ally invited, and led the way into her living room. “Would you like a beer, Carter? Or something else?”
“Do you have any Scotch?”
“Maybe.” She went to a small cabinet that housed a bar, found a bottle and poured a glass of amber liquid for him.
“Thanks.” He took the drink and seated himself in an armchair. Jack sat on the couch. Ally went to get another beer for her and Jack, and both men watched her leave the room, then looked at each other. A million unspoken thoughts and questions filled the silence.
“How was San Diego?” Jack asked casually, crossing one ankle over his knee and leaning back into the couch.
“Uh...fine. Great. Things went well there. Big corporate case I’m working on right now.”
“You’ve done well at...what’s the name of the firm? Chipman, Barratt?”
“That’s right. And, yeah, I’ve done pretty well.”
“That’s great. It’s what you always wanted.”
“Yup.” Carter paused. “And you too. Photography’s going good?”
Jack nodded slowly, lips pursed. Did Carter even know successful he’d been? They’d exchanged e-mails but, not one to brag, Jack couldn’t remember if he’d told Carter about all the awards he’d received, the big money his photos commanded. Whatever.
Ally returned and handed a bottle to Jack, then sat beside him on the couch. She sat close beside him on the couch. He didn’t mind, but wondered if Carter noticed.
“So,” Carter said, looking at them with a smile. “This is pretty amazing, isn’t it? The Awesome Threesome together again.”
Jack showed his teeth in a grin, and saw Ally nodding beside him out of the corner of his eye. Their old high school nickname brought back memories – the three of them working on the yearbook together, the school newspaper, going out together as a big group with Brittany, Jenn, and Ally’s boyfriend Jeff all through high school. They’d shared a lot of fun times, but some rough ones as well, and both good and bad had bonded them.
“What brings you back to the States, Jack?” Carter lifted his glass to his mouth.
“Well, that’s a long story.” He glanced at Ally, met her gaze, turned back to Carter. He was too impatient. He needed to know.
“Before we get to that, Ally and I have been wondering ...why the hell didn’t you tell her about all my e-mails?”
Carter blinked, his face neutral, blinked again. He looked at Ally and she stared back at him, waiting. Then he gave a wry smile. “I should have known you’d ask about that. I’m really sorry about that, Ally. I only did it to protect you.”
“Huh?” She frowned.
He nodded, leaned forward, glass between his hands. “I knew how hurt you were that Jack took off without even saying goodbye. When he finally e-mailed me about where he was, I just thought it was better to not say anything.”
“How could you possibly think that?” she whispered, eyes dark with confusion and pain.
He shrugged, leaned back in his chair. “It seemed the best idea at the time. You were hurt, angry...I thought it would just make things worse if I told you Jack had contacted me, but not you.”
Jack shook his head. “I assumed you would tell her,” he said. “I asked how she was doing, told you to say hi from me. You never once mentioned she was pissed off at me, or hurt.”
Carter looked surprised. “I didn’t?” He shrugged. “I don’t remember you asking about her. You’re going back quite a few years, Jack.”
“Yeah, that’s true. So you’re saying you thought you were doing Ally a favor by not telling her about my e-mails?”
“Yeah. That’s right.” He glanced between Jack and Ally. “You two have obviously talked about this. When did you get into town?”
Jack smiled slowly. “Friday night.”
“Ah.” Carter would now know they’d had ample time to compare notes about what had happened. He nodded. “I’m sorry if I caused any problems, really I am. I had no idea. I just thought I was looking out for you, hon.”
Carter’s use of the endearment for Ally jabbed at Jack. His fingers tightened on the cool smooth bottle in his hands.
“I really thought it was best.” Carter looked so apologetic and concerned that Jack almost relaxed a little. Carter seemed sincere and it sounded plausible enough. But Jack wasn’t quite the blindly trusting fool he’d been five years ago.
Jack waved a hand, forced a smile. “Water under the bridge,” he said lightly.
He felt Ally glare at him and knew she wasn’t prepared to forgive and forget that easily. Amusement curled through him despite the tension. Ally wasn’t quite the little peacemaker she’d always been. And if she wanted to be pissed off at Carter, Jack was good with that. He could sense her animosity and if he was completely honest, he’d rather she felt that way about Carter than any other...softer...way.
“I’m also curious about why you never told me you and Ally had split up,” he told Carter.
Carter’s mouth twisted in a crooked smile and he lifted a shoulder. “Well. That wasn’t something I was really happy to talk about. It was embarrassing. It was...well, I was kind of messed up after that. I...took it hard.”
Jack felt Ally tense up even more beside him. He nodded. “Yeah, I can understand that, I guess.”
“Carter, what do you mean, you took it hard? You were the one who cheated.” Ally’s mouth was a straight line and her hazel eyes flashed. One corner of Jack’s mouth kicked up.
Carter shrugged. “I made a mistake, Ally. I told you that. It didn’t mean I didn’t love you.”
Jack did so not want to hear this.
“The truth is...” Carter smiled with a mix of sadness and embarrassment, met Jack’s eyes. “I kept hoping Ally and I would get back together. I guess I thought if I didn’t tell you we’d broken up, it would be like it never happened.”
Ally just shook her head. “That’s ridiculous. We barely even talked after we split. Only to sort out legal stuff about the condo.”
“Well, I know you didn’t believe me,” Carter said. “But I was still in love with you, Ally. I told you that.”
She nodded. That much was apparently true, at least. Ugh.
“Well,” Jack said, not wanting the conversation to go that direction. “Anyway. The reason I’m here is...” And he told Carter about Brittany and Sarah. Carter looked as shocked as he and Ally had been to hear Jack was a father and hadn’t known it for nine years.
“Holy shit,” Carter said slowly, gripping his glass. His eyes moved around the room. “So, out of the blue she contacts you and drops that bomb on you?”
Jack nodded and told him about Sarah. “Anyway,” he shrugged. “I had to come home and I thought it would be good to see you again.”
“Well, yeah. Of course. Listen, man, let me know if there’s anything I can do. You’re going to need a lawyer. She’s probably looking for support for the last nine years, which you do not have to pay, since she didn’t even tell you about the kid.”
Jack stared at Carter. “I don’t need a lawyer.”
Carter met his gaze. “You will. This could get ugly. You have to know she’s after money.”
Jack shook his head. “No. I don’t think so.”
“I didn’t get that impression, either,” Ally said, her gaze moving back and forth between the two men. She nibbled her bottom lip. “I think she just wants Brittany to know her father.”
Carter laughed. “You two are so naive. Just because Brittany was a sweet little teenager, just because she’s an old friend, doesn’t mean she she’s not after something here.”
Jack and Ally shared a dubious glance. Jack should have known Carter would have a different take on this whole situation.
“Well, I’m here if you need me, buddy,” Carter said. He set his empty glass down on the table. “It’s been great seeing you again, too bad it’s under such difficult circumstances. How long are you here for?”
“I don’t know.” He and Carter both stood, the visit apparently at an end. “Depends on when Brittany decides to tell Sarah who I am. A couple of weeks, at least. Hey, I’ll call you this weekend. Maybe we can get together again.”
“Sounds great.”
Jack walked Carter to the door, Ally hanging behind them, apparently content to let him play host with Carter.
When the door closed behind Carter, Jack turned back to look at Ally. How was she taking this? Did she still have some feelings for Carter, despite her assertions that they were over a long time ago.

Extreme Close Up Chapter 17

I finished Simply Shameless by Kate Pearce. Great story! Kate's characters are so strong and smart. I already have Simply Wicked, and can't wait to read it, but first some Samhain books queued up:

I read Kiss and Kin by Kinsey Holley. A very fun read about wearwolve! And very hot!

Now reading Maison Domine, by Skylar Kade. Really enjoying it so far!

Zora Stout!
Tnanks Zora for coming by - email me at info@kellyjamieson.com to let me know what format you want your book and where to send it!

Thank you everyone, I had an awesome birthday even tho I am verrrry old!

So I'm giving away a present!


Anyone who leaves a comment here today or tomorrow can win a free download of IRISH SEX FAIRY, my latest release from Ellora's Cave.

Since this is a BIG birthday for me I needed a little laugh so I found this:



I'm the lady using a fan to blow out all the candles!!

Jack drained the last of the warm water from the bottle. Shit.
“I’m so sorry,” Brittany said, her voice strained.
“It’s okay.” He wiped a drip of perspiration from his face. “Maybe I should stop ...”
“It’s such a lot of work, Jack.” She surveyed the material cluttering her small yard. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“Hell, yeah.” He forced a grin. “I’m figuring it out. It’s a little different than the house I built with my dad when I was a kid, but hey...it’s way nicer.”
“I’m sure she’ll love it when it’s built.”
A gaping hole in his gut ached. Christ, he hoped so. He was doing this for her. He firmed his lips. “Back to work,” he said, trying to sound confident.

* * *

Ally had waited until two o’clock on Wednesday to call Carter, knowing he was driving back from San Diego that morning.
“Hey, Ally,” he said, surprise roughening his voice. “What’s up?”
“Jack is in town.” No sense making small talk.
A short silence, then, “Jack? Holy shit!”
“I know.” She paused. The question was on the tip of her tongue, ready to burst out. Why the hell didn’t you tell me about his e-mails? But she bit her tongue. “Why don’t you come over tonight and see him?”
“Um...”
“Carter.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure,” he said hastily. “It’d be great to see him again.”
She thought she detected a faint hint of anxiety in his voice but couldn’t be sure. “Great,” she said. “Come over around seven.”
Then she called Jack’s cell phone.
“Hi,” she said. “Where are you?”
“At Brittany’s. Working on this damn tree house.” Of course he was. He’d spent most of yesterday either buying or building the house, had come home late last night. She’d already been in bed, listening for him, wondering what he and Brittany and Sarah were doing so late.
“How’s it going?”
“Crappy.” He sighed. “I didn’t realize what a big job this was. And she doesn’t even like it.”
“What!”
“It’s not in a tree.”
“Oh. But she’ll like it when it’s done.”
“Yeah. That’s what Brittany says, too.”
“I’m sure she’s right. Anyway, I called to tell you I got hold of Carter and he’s coming over tonight to see you.”
When she hung up and turned back to her computer, her stomach was in knots. She had a very uncomfortable feeling about how the meeting was going to go. She was going to have to confront Carter, something she never liked doing. It wasn’t that she cared about him any more. He was just so...overbearing. Annoyingly confident. He was always right.
It pissed her off, made her feel like she was in the wrong, made her feel small and impotent when it came to trying to deal with him. She pressed her lips together.
That was in the past. If Carter had lied to her about Jack, she wanted to know. And Carter was going to know how angry she was.
She tried to focus on her work, but her mind kept going off in different directions and she ended up sitting there, hands idle on the keyboard.
A while later, she looked down at the denim shorts she’d worn all day and grimaced. Okay, maybe this meeting between the three of them after so many years called for something a little better than this. Something confidence building.
In her bedroom, she stepped out of the shorts and pulled the faded grey T-shirt she wore over her head.
She heard the door as Jack arrived home and stood there in her underwear indecisively for a moment, then grabbed a fluffy pink robe and shoved her arms into it. She never wore pink, it was a horrible color on her, but the robe had been a gift. She hurried across the room and out the door to greet him.
He was just coming up the stairs.
Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him. Baggy beige cargo pants hung low on his hips and a snug black T-shirt showed off all the muscle definition he’d acquired over the years. His tanned face shone with perspiration. She warmed inside at the sight of him.
“Hi,” she said breathlessly. He eyed her apparel. “Sorry, I was just changing.” She pushed her hair back and tugged the robe tighter around her, standing at the top of the stairs.
“That’s okay,” Jack said, still looking at her body. Now she really felt warm. “I was just going to shower and change, too. What time is Carter coming?”
“In about an hour.”
“I brought home dinner. Pizza.”
“Oh. Thank you. I’ll go finish getting dressed.”
She turned, acutely conscious of her lack of clothing, and he went into his own room. She returned to her bedroom and dug in her drawer for her powder-blue lace panties and bra. She pulled out her best jeans, really low-rise ones that fit perfectly, and a swingy camisole top in the same shade of blue as her bra. Then she smoothed her hair with a brush and put some shiny gloss on her lips.
Downstairs she found Jack already in the kitchen opening the pizza box, damp-haired from what must have been a speedy shower. “Want a beer?” she asked.
“Hell yeah.” He moved toward her fridge. She liked that he felt comfortable enough there to go in and help himself. She followed him.
He grabbed a beer, popped the top and held it out to her. “Here.”
Ah. That was nice. “Thanks.”
They stayed in the kitchen, eating pizza and drinking beer. When they’d finished, Jack loaded their dishes in the dishwasher while Ally put the leftover pizza in the fridge. Ally glanced at her watch. Carter would be there soon.
Jack’s posture as he leaned against the counter holding his beer looked relaxed, long legs crossed at the ankle, but she could see how taut his body was, the muscles in his arms hard with tension, his lips firm, jaw rigid. Her own shoulders were tight with apprehension at seeing Carter again, and about confronting him. She hated fighting, would almost rather just forget about the whole thing, except ...it was important. Jack said he’d kept in touch, and Jack wouldn’t lie about that. But why would Carter? She had to know what had really happened. It made a difference. Her tummy quivered with nerves.
“You okay?” Jack asked her. Their eyes met, connected, held.
“Yeah, sure.” But her voice came out higher pitched than she’d intended. She licked her lips.
“You don’t want to do this, do you?”
“No. But I have to. I want to know what Carter was doing.”
“Is it hard? To see him again?”
She lifted a shoulder. “I’d rather not see him again. Ever.”
“I’m sorry. It’s because of me that you’re having to go through this.”
She shook her head. “No. It’s not because of you. If Carter did something - if he lied to me - it’s because of him we’re doing this.”
“You wouldn’t be doing this if I hadn’t shown up unexpectedly on your doorstep.”
“Maybe not right now.” She sipped her beer, and the fingers holding the bottle trembled. “I can do it, Jack.”
His eyes warmed as they looked at her. “I know you can.” His eyes fell to Ally’s mouth and she felt his gaze like a touch. Her lips parted and she forgot to breathe.
Then the doorbell rang.
“Showtime,” Jack murmured, and they stepped apart.
Ally paused, took a breath, then headed to the door

Extreme Close Up Chapter 16

I can't believe it's Wednesday already, I'm so lost I forgot to post this morning.

This past week I finished Iron by PG Forte. I wrote a little about it last week. It has a most unusual ending - HEA? Hmmm...

I also read a yummy little quickie by one of my fav authors Lacey Alexander (aka Toni Blake) - Scott's Satin Sheets. Another classic Lacey Alexander story about a good girl discovering her inner bad girl.

And I've started Simply Shameless by Kate Pearce. I've read the other "Simply" stories and this one is Helene's...fabulous.

Love Me More is a follow up story to Love Me, which was my very first published story just over a year ago. Gavin and Melina are getting married and the bachelor party is causing Melina some stress! In Love Me, Melina and Gavin learned how important communication is, but Melina's having a hard time telling Gavin why she's so worried about the party. She's kinda crazy but everything she does, she does out of love.

“So you have no tools,” the salesman said, and Jack could clearly hear “you are an idiot” in his tone. “Well, then I’d recommend one of our tree house packages.”
He stood in the monstrous home center gazing at piles of lumber. He ran a hand through his hair.
“Is that a pre-fab kind of thing?”
“Come this way.” The salesman led him through the huge warehouse and stopped in front of a structure. It was a house, all right, but it wasn’t in a tree. It was a raised structure with a small house – an awesome house, Jack had to admit – a slide coming off it, and a set of swings.
“She already has a swing set,” he said doubtfully, eyeing the structure. “And it’s not in a tree.”
“Well, no,” the man said, patience stretching out his words. “But it’s ready to build. The walls, roof and floor are all modular and pre-assembled, so there’s nothing to saw. All wood components are painted to protect them from weather. You can paint the outside and shingle it however you like. Paint and shingles aren’t included.”
“How much?”
“Twenty-nine-ninety-nine.”
Jack gulped. He was pretty sure that didn’t mean twenty nine dollars. But what the hell. He had nothing but money. No home. No car. Not even a single piece of furniture. He’d basically banked and invested all his earnings the last five years, so yeah...he had money. “How do I get it home?” As he said the word “home” he knew it wasn’t right. It wasn’t his home. Whatever.
“We’ll deliver it to your door,” the man replied. “We can have it there this afternoon. Somebody has to be home to take delivery, though.”
“Yeah, okay. I can be there.” He had nothing better to do.
The salesman helped him with the basic tools he was going to need to put the thing together, then he pulled out the credit card and made arrangements for it to all be delivered.
Brittany met him at her place to let him in, then went back to work. Sarah was at daycare. As he waited at their home for the delivery, he felt as much in a foreign place as he had when he’d arrived in Iraq. It was just too weird to contemplate, sitting on Brittany’s worn couch in her little duplex, watching daytime TV, studying Sarah’s paraphernalia lying around – a doll, a pair of pink runners, a baseball cap.
He couldn't help remembering how close he'd been to jumping all over Ally last night. He'd seen something in her eyes that looked a lot like the need and hunger he felt. But she'd said good-night and turned away and that was probably a good thing. Dammit.
He jumped up when the big truck arrived with the delivery, relieved to finally be doing something. Soon he had Brittany’s entire back yard filled with pieces of wood, shingles, a big plastic slide and stuff he didn’t even know what to do with.
He considered reading the directions on how to assemble the house, then set them aside. Nah. He could figure it out. How hard could it be?
The California sun grew warm and eventually he had to shed his sweatshirt to work in a short-sleeved T-shirt. He wiped the sweat from his brow but it trickled down his back, and he knew part of it stemmed from frustration and fear, rather than the sun. The volume of pieces and different types of materials overwhelmed him.
He took a break for a bottle of water from Brittany’s fridge, at her invitation before she’d left for work, and stood surveying the mess he’d made. Hell. This wasn’t going well and-he glanced at his watch-Brittany and Sarah would be home in a couple of hours. He hadn’t planned to finish it by then, he knew that wasn’t realistic, but he’d hoped to have a good start. All he had was chaos.
When all else fails, read the directions. He sat down on the grass with his bottle of water and the book of instructions and started reading.
Okay, he just needed to take an organized approach to this. He sorted parts and pieces, and little by little began to assemble the structure. He’d completed the base of it by the time Sarah and Brittany arrived home.
“Hi Jack.” Sarah ran into the yard and stopped dead. “Wow.” Her eyes were huge in her small face. Brittany came to a stop behind her, stunned amazement also shading her face.
“Um...that’s really big,” she said in a choked voice.
Jack nodded, pleased with what he’d managed to accomplish so far.
“But it’s not in the tree,” Sarah said, and her bottom lip jutted as she gazed at the beginnings of the house.
“No, but it will be up high,” Jack said. “Come see the picture.”
Sarah took a step nearer. He showed her the picture on the front of the instruction book. “See. It has a slide and swings attached.”
“But I already have a slide and swings.” Her bottom lip quivered. “And it’s not in the tree.”
“Sarah,” Brittany’s sharp voice interjected. “Jack is going to a lot of trouble to build this for you, you know.”
Jack looked from Sarah’s pout to Brittany’s frown. “That’s okay ...”
“No,” Brittany said. “Sarah, when someone does something for you you’re supposed to be grateful, not complain.”
“But it’s not what I wanted!” Sarah turned
and ran back into the house on her skinny legs.

Extreme Close Up Chapter 15

I am really slacking lately! Another week where I've read one book and I haven't even finished it! And I'm a fast reader. Clearly I've been spending too much time partying and promoting on the web! It has been a busy week with a new release out and several on-line events and I did manage to get some writing done but the reading has fallen short.

Anyhoo - I'm reading Iron by PG Forte. This is an amazing story. Historicals aren't my first choice except for a few sexy authors I enjoy but this one is so beautiful. It's set in Ireland in the late 1800's, and I love anything Irish. I love all the Irish words and the way the characters talk and the huge conflict that has been set up between Aislinn and Gavin. Gavin is a blacksmith and iron is poisonous to Fae. Gavin also has to deal with an oath sworn to his late wife on her deathbead. I'm feeling bewitched - ensorcelled! - by this story!

As some of you know, every new release I send out a newsletter and give my newsletter members a chance to win a copy of that book. This time I'm including any new members who sign up and leave a comment, and I'm drawing the winner Wednesday evening. Here's where you can join:

Click to join KellyJamiesonnewsletter

It's out! My first Ellora's Cave book!

Here's the blurb and an excerpt and if you want to win copies of it, you can either come hang out at the ellorascavechat Sunday evening from 8:00-9:00 EST or you can join my newsletter group where I give away one free copy of every new release! Just join and leave a comment.

The Irish Sex Fairy believes sex will cure all problems…

So says Great-aunt Maeve, owner of the Irish Sex Fairy, a sex shop in Kilkenny, California. When stressed-out Keara visits Maeve after a hostage situation where she was held at gunpoint, she’s ready to try anything to get over the flashbacks and nightmares and intense guilt over her role in the incident.

Enter sexy Shane Dunstan, Kilkenny’s deputy police chief and old flame of Keara’s. With black hair and blue eyes and a body a girl could easily lose herself in for a lifetime, he’s perfect for putting Maeve’s remedy to the test. He’s more than happy to help. A lot.

But while all the sizzling sex does seem to make Keara feel better, it creates a whole new set of problems. Keara needs to overcome her fears and get back to her career, but that means leaving Shane and Maeve. And when the past comes back to haunt her in a terrifying encounter, she’s about to find out just how effective Maeve’s cure-all is.

“Keara!”

Oh for— It was Shane. She pressed a hand to her racing heart, the adrenaline rush making her legs go mushy. With the lights on, she had to be clearly visible in there, so ducking out wasn’t an option.

She cautiously moved to the door and glared at him, putting a hand on the door frame to steady herself. In the wake of the adrenaline rush, weakness slid through her.

“What are you doing?” he asked, and she could hear him through the glass as well as read his lips. “Let me in.”

She shook her head. “No.”

He scowled. “Are you all right?”

“No! You scared the crap out of me!” Now she slumped fully against the wall. She sucked in a long breath.

“Keara, let me in!”

“I’m not letting a strange man in here in the middle of the night.”

“Keara. I’m hardy a stranger.”

So he did remember. Her body tightened. Her eyes met his through the glass.

“I’m also a cop, for Chrissake. I’m just trying to make sure everything’s all right.”

“I don’t care if you’re Jesus himself,” she replied. “I don’t really know you.”

He rolled his eyes.

With a sigh, she punched in the numbers to disable the alarm system Maeve had showed her how to use so she could come and go as she pleased. She unlocked the door and Shane stepped into the store, closed the door behind him and flicked the lock again.

“What the hell are you doing down here in the middle of the night?” he demanded.

“I couldn’t sleep. I decided to come down and look around.”

He stared at her and she realized he had a smear of something on his jaw. She gazed at it. “Uh…you have something…” She lifted her hand point at it and realized what it was. Lipstick. “You have lipstick on your face,” she said. “Guess the date went well tonight, huh? Make use of all those condoms?”

*

Shane blinked at her, lifted a hand to his cheek.

“Other side,” she said. He scrubbed at his stubbly jaw.

Date? Condoms? Oh yeah. Considering he’d only rolled out of Laila’s bed an hour ago, he’d forgotten her pretty damn quickly. Maeve’s niece had knocked him off balance.

She seemed a lot different than the passionate, vibrant girl he remembered. The girl who’d driven him wild with lust. Now she was pale, with dark shadows under those sparkling emerald green eyes that had bewitched him. Now, she could freeze whiskey with a glance of those witchy eyes.

“The date was fine,” he said. “And yeah…” He eyed her and gave a deliberate smirk. “The sex was safe.”

“I’m so glad for you,” she snapped, taking a step back. Which was when he realized she was barely dressed. A thin, ribbed white cotton tank top clearly outlined her small breasts, shadowy nipples prominent, and the little shorts, white with pink hearts, revealed her long, sleek legs. Oh man. He’d touched those breasts. He’d had those legs wrapped around him. His dick hardened.

She held a glass in one hand and gave the other hand a shake, drops flying off it. She muttered something he couldn’t hear.

“Spill your drink?” he asked. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“What the hell else do you think my reaction would be? I wasn’t exactly expecting company. And anyway, what are you doing here?” Her eyes swept over him. Please don’t let her notice my hard-on. “You’re not wearing your uniform, so it’s not like you were out patrolling or something.”

“As deputy police chief, I rarely patrol anymore,” he replied, a smile curling his lips. “I was just on my way home.” He lifted a brow.

“Oh.” She rolled her lips in. Pretty lips, except she seemed to perpetually hold them in a tight line. “So it was a late night.”

“Or early morning.” He shrugged, shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Whatever.”

She took a sip of what little remained in the glass. It looked like whiskey. Did she share Maeve’s enthusiasm for a wee dram of the Jameson’s?

“Well, if you’re okay and the place isn’t being robbed…”

She flinched, a flash of something like fear in her eyes, her mouth tightening even more. The whiskey again threatened to leap out of the glass. “That’s why I stopped,” he explained, watching her carefully. “I thought maybe someone had broken in…”

Her eyes shifted, went glassy, and she rubbed her fingers over one eyebrow. “No,” she rasped. “No one broke in.”

And then he remembered. It had been all over the news and Maeve had been distraught with worry about her great-niece. “Fuck,” he muttered, straightening. “I’m sorry. I forgot…”

Her eyes blinked rapidly. “You know about the robbery.”

“Yeah. Are you okay?”

She laughed. Kind of a weird reaction. “Of course I’m okay! It happened six weeks ago. I’m fine.”

The fingers lifting the glass to her lips trembled now and he realized he had indeed scared the shit out of her. Damn. “I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said. “Are you sure you’re all right? Come on, I’ll make sure you get upstairs all right.”

“That is not necessary,” she replied, her tone frosty. “I’m fine. You can go. Thanks for checking, though, I know my aunt would appreciate you keeping an eye on the store.”

Her cool politeness was only slightly less annoying than it had been earlier. The fact that she’d ignored her old aunt for years still pissed him off, but the glimpse of vulnerability beneath the icy façade appealed to his need to protect. Dammit. After what she’d been through, no wonder he’d scared her. What an idiot he was.

“Are you sure?” He didn’t want to leave her, now he remembered what had happened to her.

“Yes I’m sure!” She scowled at him, a pretty scowl, but it carried a clear message.

“Fine,” he said. “Sorry to bother you.” He turned and opened the door, then paused. “Make sure you lock this and rearm the alarm.”

“I’m not stupid.”

He stepped out onto the sidewalk, and even though he knew she was far from stupid, he waited until he heard the locks click. Then the lights inside the shop went out and he could no longer see her.

Well. In the cool, damp night air, he sauntered back to his car parked at the curb. Fucking weird, because he’d just had several rounds of vigorous sex, but all he could think about was kissing Keara’s tight mouth into a soft pout, like he had all those years ago. Why had she shown up here after all these years? And why was his head full of her instead of the sexy blonde he’d just had hot sex with?

The fashion show began, the least professional fashion show he’d ever seen, but the most moving and emotional. As Ally had told him, the models were all women who’d kicked drugs and reclaimed their lives, all beautiful in their own way. Some walked the runway with hesitant steps, others with proud confidence, others with shy embarrassment.
Jack’s attention was momentarily diverted by the photographer shooting each model as she came out, and he studied the man as he worked, checked out his camera. Then Ally next to him distracted him as she clapped, cheered and laughed. The pleasure she took in the women’s success humbled him. At the end, the models all came out, hugging, laughing through tears, and Jack, Ally and her friend Kim stood with the rest of the audience to applaud them enthusiastically.
When he turned to Ally, she was wiping a tear from her eye and he smiled at her with concern. “Hey,” he said. “You okay?”
“Yes,” she said with a laugh and a small sniff. “I’m fine. This was so good for me tonight. When I feel sorry for myself, working with people like Toya always puts things in perspective.”
He knew exactly what she meant, had gotten the same reality-check just that morning. At that moment, he felt the deep connection he had with Ally, a connection he had never felt with anyone else, and their eyes met and held in the crowded room.
“You’re so special,” he told her softly.
She smiled tremulously. “Thank you.”
He wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let her go. It took all his self-control to resist the urge, and he shoved his hands in the pockets of his cargo pants as he followed Ally and Kim out of the ballroom.
“There’s a small party after,” Ally told him. “Kim and I are invited as volunteers. We should make an appearance.” Her eyes questioned him. He realized he probably looked moody, scowling in his efforts to resist Ally, hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched.
“Of course,” he said immediately, only too happy to watch her with her friends.
He accepted a glass of non-alcoholic punch and sipped it as Ally and Kim mingled and talked with other volunteers and the evening’s models. Ally looked so sophisticated, so confident, laughing and talking with the others, accepting hugs of thanks from some of the women she’d worked with. And yet, she hadn’t ditched him. She made sure to include him in conversations, introduced him to people, took his arm when she moved on and towed him with her.
Being in her world entertained and enlightened, and he wished he could be more of a part of it. He pushed gloomy thoughts like that out of his mind. He was trying to take one day at a time right now, deal with one issue at a time, and a relationship with Ally was not something he could even think about.
Later, he followed her into her house, feeling like a teenager on a date again, waited while she turned on lights. She turned to him and smiled. “I hope it wasn’t too much torture for you tonight,” she said. “Thank you for coming.”
“No. Thank you. You’re amazing.”
She flushed a little, dropped her eyes. “No, I’m not. I really don’t do very much. Not as much as some people.”
“There you go again, fishing for compliments.”
Her gaze flew up to his. “I was not!”
He laughed. “I’m kidding. By the way, what you do is just so...you.”
She laughed a little breathlessly. “Okay.”
He stared at her longingly, wishing for things he couldn’t have. Her eyes warmed and her pupils expanded. Was she thinking the same things?
Their gazes locked. A tension between them drew them closer and he wasn’t sure, but he might have moved toward her. Silent darkness surrounded them. His heart thundered his chest and he felt like he was in a dream where he wanted to move but was frozen. He wanted to touch Ally. He wanted to say to hell with all the sensible reasons he shouldn’t touch her, he wanted for once in his life so badly to do the wrong thing. Because taking her into his arms, holding her, ravishing her, would feel so right.

Extreme Close Up Chapter 14

Each month Marcia James interviews an author or publishing insider who has “James” in his/her name. Her October James Gang interview is with me!

Marcia James Blog

Yikes I only read one book this week!

I finished Riding on Instinct by Jaci Burton. I really enjoyed this story. Nice little twist at the ending, though I did pick up on the clue before Shadoe did, LOL!

Last night I started Iron by PG Forte. PG and I have been discovering all kinds of connections in our stories so I’m looking forward to this story set in Ireland.

Last night I went to the Keith Urban concert. Lady Antebellum was the opening act. They were both so great! Keith Urban especially surprised me, because I don't know his music that well. I'm not a big fan of country music, but this was way more rock n roll than country. He is an amazingly talented guitar player! Just incredible.

Here. Listen while you read.




As I watched I felt so inspired. Not to make music. Though I love music, I'm not a musician. But I watched him up there on stage pouring his heart and soul and emotion into creating something beautiful and moving, and it made me want to do that too. It made me want to pour my heart and soul out into words. It made me want to create something beautiful and moving. It made me want to go home and stay up all night writing and creating.

Does seeing other artists inspire you like that, even though their art is not writing?

And it's soon! October 2, that's this FRIDAY!!
Isn't it beautiful:

When Ally descended the stairs carefully on spiky heels,ready to go to the fashion show that night, Jack forgot to breathe. He’d never seen her look like that. Her moss-green dress wrapped around her, hugging her slender curves, a V-neckline revealing tempting cleavage. He gulped.
The luxury hotel in Beverly Hills had donated the use of their ballroom as their contribution to the event. The not-lavish but tasteful decorations gave the ballroom a gala air, chairs arranged around a catwalk, many of them already full. Other people mingled near the door, trying to talk over the music blaring from huge speakers.
“I need to go back and see how things are going,” Ally told Jack. “Come on.”
His mind jumped to the possibility of naked models and he followed Ally. Backstage there was no nudity, just controlled chaos as a whole lot of women had their hair and makeup done.
They all greeted Ally like a long lost friend. One woman even jumped out of the chair where a stylist painstakingly flat-ironed her hair and ran over to hug her.
“I’m so glad you came!” she bubbled.
Ally hugged her back, then studied her. “Of course I came,” she said with a smile. “Toya, you look gorgeous.” Skilfully applied make-up highlighted the woman’s smooth, dark skin, beautiful chocolate eyes and full lips. Her ebony hair curved smoothly to her shoulders.
“I’m so nervous!” Toya’s dark eyes flashed.
“You know you can do anything,” Ally reminded her, looking serious. She shook both of Toya’s hands gently. “You have to know that now, after what you’ve been through. Walking out there on that stage is nothing compared to what you’ve accomplished.”
“I know, I know,” Toya replied, visibly calming.
“We’re all shaking in our boots!” called out another woman, her hair being removed from rollers. The others all shouted out agreement and nervous laughter.
“Who’s the hunk, Ally?” another model called out. Ally turned pink.
“This is my friend Jack,” she introduced him. He grinned and lifted a hand. “Jack, this is everyone.”
“Oooh, Ally, he’s hot,” cried another voice. Jack’s grin widened and Ally’s cheeks got pinker.
“Okay, let’s go,” Ally muttered, turning. “Good luck!” she called, with a wave. “Break a leg!”
They groaned as Jack followed her out and back to their seats, bemused by Ally’s interactions with the women.
“My friend Kim’s here,” Ally said, leading him over to a tiny woman with short spiky blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Ally introduced him again after greeting Kim with a hug. They took their seats, Ally between Kim and Jack.
“Did Ally tell you any of their stories?” Kim asked Jack, leaning forward to see him around Ally.
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “In fact, she didn’t tell me that she even knew all those women.” He glanced reprovingly at Ally. She looked down at her hands in her lap.
“Ally volunteers at Freedom House,” Kim said. “You didn’t know that either?”
“Uh...no.”
Kim nodded enthusiastically. “We both do. Ally got involved about a year ago after she did a story on us for LA Life. I’ve been volunteering there for a little longer.”
“The story I did was one of my less fluffy pieces.” Ally smiled wryly. “Something I was actually proud of.”
Hey, what did that mean? She should be proud of all her writing.
“I was so impressed with the strength of some of the women who stayed there, and with the dedication of the volunteers, I got involved myself,” she continued. “Doing what?”
“I work with any women who have literacy issues. And I do some writing for their website - articles about success stories and the like. Stories to motivate women who need the services, and also about volunteers who donate time and money.”
“You teach them to read?”
She nodded.
“Toya had a grade five reading level when she came here,” she told him. “She was addicted to crack and had three kids who had been taken away because she couldn’t care for them. I wasn’t the only one who worked with her, but she and I worked on learning to read.” She shook her head. “It’s a long haul for them. Some don’t make it. But she was tough. She hung in there, persevered. Now she’s clean, she has a good job and she’s gotten her kids back. And you saw her...she’s gorgeous.”
He nodded, something squeezing inside him. “I bet you saw how gorgeous she was right at the beginning.”
She looked at him. “Huh?”
“I know what he means,” Kim said to Ally. “You always know what to focus on with the ladies. You knew right away Toya was smart and loved animals. So you worked on reading with her, stories about animals and veterinarians, and steered her in the direction of working as a vet’s assistant.”
Ally nodded. “Well, yes.”
“You have an ability to see the best in people and bring that out of them.” Jack looked at her, pride and admiration swelling inside him. She met his eyes then looked quickly away, down at her hands. Damn, he’d made her uncomfortable. He felt her moving beside him, her slim shoulder brushing against his. Then she lifted a hand to push her hair back and her warm, flowery scent tempted his nostrils. When the lights dimmed, he barely noticed, so focused was he on the woman beside him, a woman who amazed him, captivated him.

Extreme Close Up Chapter 13